Hand bag



C. M. LEWIS Jan. 14, 1936.

HAND BAG Filed Nov. 14, 1934 H. m A

Paened Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND BAG Charles M.Lewis, New York, N. Y.

Application November 14, 1934, Serial No. 753,034

6 Claims. (Cl. 150-46) My invention relates to improvements in ladies',misses' and children's handbags or pocketbooks, and particularly toframes therefor.

The principal general object of the invention is to provide a handbag orpocketbook embodying or built on a frame of novel and simpleconstruetion, affording unlimited possibility in shapes and sizes, andproviding separate and distinct compartments which may be individuallyor collectively opened.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a handbag orpocketbook of the above type characterized by simplicity inconstruction, and attractive appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple construction offrame for handbags or pocketbooks, having the above characteristics, onwhich the covers and linings may be readily assembled with a minimum ofexpense and labor.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent and will be pointed out during the course of the followingdetailed description of the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is aperspective View of a frame constructed in accordance with my inventionand illustrating one of many possible shapes;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a completed pocketbook orhandbag built on the frame of Fig. l in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 showing one side orcompartment of the pocketbook opened;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary Sectional view through one end of thepocketbook shown in Fig. 2 and through the latch therefor.

In the drawing, the numeral 6 designates generally the lower member ofthe frame, which frame in the present application is illustrated asbeing of rectangular shape, though of course the frames and the handbagsconstructed or built thereon may be of various other shapes, such ascircular, oval, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. The section or base 6 of theframe is provided at opposite sides thereof and in alinement with eachother with upstanding ears 'I. The other halves of the frame arecomposed of a pair of sections, each designated by the numeral 8, andeach of which like the base B, is of channel formation. The grooves inthe sections B are designated by the numeral 9 in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, andthe groove in the base 6 is designated by the numeral HI.

It will be noted that the grooves 9 and IO open on opposite faces of theframe.

Each of the sections 8 have the inner walls I l thereof shorter than theouter walls, so that the outer walls are provided with ends l2overlapping the ears 1 of the base 6, and said ears and overlapping endsl2 of the outer walls are provided with alined openings receiving pinsor rivets IS on which the sections 8 pivot when opening and closing thecase.

I wish it to be understood that the several parts of the frame may beconstructed of metal, pyroxylin compositions or the like, 'bone.celluloid or other substantially rigid materials capable of beingfashioned, molded, or bent to the desired shapes. Furthermore, theframes may be of any desired dimensions in length, width, and depth, andfurther as above mentioned, of any desired shapes.

Having generally described the frame upon which the pocketbook isconstructed, I will now proceed with the description of the completedpocketbook or handbag with special reference to Figs. 2-5, wherein thenumeral I4 designates the top cover of the handbag or pocketbook, as

shown in detail in Fig. 4, the cover M is secured to the sections 8,which constitute the movable sections, by inserting the edges l5 of thecover into the channels 9 and adhesively connecting the same therein ifnecessary, it being understood that the sides of the channel may be benttoward each other to clamp the covering in the grooves 9 if desiredapart from using an adhesive. Still referring to Fig. 4, it will benoted that a cover IB, similar to or contrasting with the cover l4, hasits marginal portions inserted in the channel HI of the lower section 6.Thus the frame or parts 6 and 8 constitute the sides and ends of thehandbag or pocketbook, while the covers I4 and IB, which may be made ofany desired material, constitute the tops and bottoms of the pocketbookor handbag. The covers, particularly the top cover, are preferablysingle sheets of material and fiexible, so that it can fold or bendalong a line coinciding with pivots |3 during opening and closingmovements of the sections 8.

Although it is not essential to the practice of the invention in itsbroader aspects, I also provide, on the interior of the bag, linings foreach compartment, arranged to divide or separate the respectivecompartments along a line coinciding with the pivots l3. In Figs. 3-5,these linings are designated by the numeral ll and have their marginalportions IB disposed fiushly against the (ill inner surfaces of the base6 and the sections 8. The marginal portions la may be secured to theinner surfaces of the said parts of the frame by a suitable adhesive orotherwise. It will be noted that each of the linings l'l is also foldedor creased as indicated at IB along the line coinciding with the pivotsl3, and that each lining is folded. It is these folds which separate thecompartments one from the other so that the contents of one will notslide or fall into the other. Thus, the user of the bag may keeparticles of one nature in one compartment and articles of another natureor character in the other compartment, and have separate access to thesaid compartments. However, if desired. both of the compartments may beopened simultaneously by swinging each of the sections 8 upwardly ontheir hinges.

If desired, pockets such as designated by the numerals 20 and 2l, may beprovided in the linings to hold toilet articles, cards, keys, or otherarticles. The provision of such pockets or article holders is optionaland forms no part of the invention.

Also, means for holding the bag normally closed may be provided, and inthe present application I have shown plates 22 connected to the base 6as at 23, the connection being such or the nature of the plate beingsuch that the upper ends of the plates which are provided with notches24 are normally urged toward the sections 8 to receive pins 25 tomaintain the bag closed. Obviously, by pulling the upper ends of theplates outwardly the pins are removed from the notches 24 permitting thesections 8 to be swung upwardly on their hinges and to open position. Toclose the case, it is simply necessary to snap the sections 8downwardly, so that the pins 25 will ride into the notches 24. Thisparticular retaining or locking means forms no part of the invention,and any desired type of closure or fastener may be used.

While I have shown in this application the sections 8 of the upper framepart of equal length, and the ears 'I on the base 6 located at theapproximate center of the base, so that the compartments are of equaldimensions, this is not essential to the practice of the invention.Obviously, the ears 1 may be located nearer to either one of the ends ofthe frame 6, and the sections 8 made of unequal lengths, but with theircombined length equal to that of the base 6, so that one compartmentwould be larger than the other. Otherwise the construction and operationwould be the same.

I claim:

l. In a handbag or pocketbook of the character described comprising aframe composed of a substantially rigid base member of channel formationin cross-section forming the lower portions of the side and end walls ofthe bag, a pair of similar frame members also of channel formation incross section mounted above said base and hingediy connected thereto oncommon pivots, the open ends of the channels of the base and framemembers being disposed in opposite directions and the bottoms of thechannels confronting when the bag is closed, said second members formingthe upper portions of the side and end walls of the bag and beingswingable relative to the base member and to each other in oppositedirections on said pivots, and covers for the top and bottom of the baghaving their marginal portions secured in the channels of the base andframe members.

2. In a handbag or pocketbook of the character described comprising aframe composed of a substantially rigid base member of channel formationin cross-section forming the lower portions of the side and end walls ofthe bag, a pair of similar frame members also of channel formation incross-section mounted above said base and hingedly connected thereto oncommon pivots, the channels in said members opening in oppositedirections, said second members forming the upper portions of the sideand end walls of the bag and being swingable relative to the base memberand to each other in opposite directions on said pivots and covers forthe top and bottom of the bag having their marginal portions secured inthe channels of the frame members, and cooperating elements on said basemembers and other members to releasably hold said other members inclosed relation to the base member to normally close the bag.

3. A frame for a poeketbook or handbag of the character describedcomprising, a base member of channel formation in crosS-section to formthe lower portions of the side and end walls of the pocketbook, a pairof upper frame members arranged above the base member to form the upperportions of the side and end walls of the pocketbook, and also being ofchannel formation in cross-section, ends of said second membersoverlapping, projections on the base members alined with saidoverlapping ends of the upper members, pins extending through saidoverlapping ends and said projections hingedly connecting said uppermembers to said base, and the channels in said base and upper members,respectively, opening in opposite directions to receive cove-rs for thetops and bottoms of the bags or pocketbooks.

4. A frame for a pocketbook or handbag of 4d the character describedcomprising, a base member of channel formation in cross-section to formthe lower portions of the side and end walls of the pocketbook, a pairof upper frame members arranged above the base member to i form theupper portions of the side and end walls of the pocketbook, and alsobeing of channel formation in cross-section, ends of said second membersoverlap-ping, projections on the base members alined with saidoverlapping ends .io of the upper members, pins extending through saidoverlapping ends and said projections hingedly connecting said uppermembers to said base, means releasably holding said upper members inclosed relation to said base, and the chan- ...a nels in said base andupper members, respectively, opening in opposite directions to receivecovers for the tops and bottoms of the bags or pocketbooks.

5. In a handbag or pocketbook of the charto acter described, a frameincluding a substantially rigid base member of channel formation incross-section, the sides and ends of which form the lower parts of theside and end walls of the bag, a pair of closure members each also G ofchannel formation in cross-section and each of the same width as thebase member and in combined length of the same length as the basemember, upstanding ears on the base member, extensions on theconfronting ends of the clou su-re members arranged in overlappingrelation, common pivots through said ears and extensions hingedlyconnecting the closures to the base member for opening and closingmovements relative to the base in opposite directions, the

open ends of the channels of the base and closures being disposed inopposite directions with the bottoms of said channels on the base andclosures respectively confronting each other in closed position of thebag, and covers for the top and bottom of the bag having their marginalportions secured in the channels of said base and closure members.

6. In a handbag or pocketbook of the character described comprising aframe composed of a substantially rigid base member having a channeltherearound, walls of said member forming the lower portions of the sideand end walls of the bag, a pair of closure members hingedly connectedto said base on common pivots and swingable relative to the base and toeach other in opposite directions, said closure members being also ofchannel formation in crosssection and having the bottoms of the channelsconfronting the bottoms of the channels in the base when the bag isclosed, covers for the top and bottom of the bag secured to said baseand closure members respectively with their marginal portions in thechannels of the base and closure members, linings secured in the frameto the inner surfaces of the base member and closure members, eachlining being folded along a line coinciding substantially with the axesof said pivots, the folds of said linings dividing the bag into separatecompartments.

CHARLES M. LEWIS.

